Hopewell's Happenings

Happy New Year HES! As we bid farewell to the month of December, where we focused on Empathy, we are thrilled to share the highlights of our collective efforts in making a positive difference. Throughout the past weeks, our school community has been dedicated to embodying the spirit of empathy, fostering a culture of kindness, and leaving a lasting impact on those who need it most.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Pajama Day Success: Our community came together for a cause close to our hearts, participating in the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Pajama Day. Through the simple act of wearing pajamas to school, students and staff collectively raised over $2,000.00! This generous contribution will make a significant impact on the lives of children and families. See photos below.

Warmth and Care for Chubby's Project: Students, families and staff also demonstrated our commitment to empathy by collecting socks and gloves for the Chubby's Project. Your generosity will undoubtedly make a meaningful difference in the lives of those less fortunate, bringing a sense of warmth and care during the cold winter months. It's inspiring to witness the positive impact that each family, teacher, and student has had on the lives of others, creating a ripple effect of compassion that extends far beyond our school walls.

During the month of January, our Preschool classes will lead us in collecting hats and scarves for the Chubby's Project. Check out the picture of their flyer below for more information.

HES Earns Gold: We are excited to share that HES has earned GOLD in the New Jersey Safe Routes to School Recognition Program. We would like to thank the collective efforts of staff members from the following organizations: Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association, Hopewell Borough Officials, NJDOT, and New Jersey Safe Routes to Schools. Lastly, we would like to thank our families for your stellar efforts and commitment to enabling and encouraging our children to walk and bike to school safely.

And that Gingerbread Man was on the loose again! Special thanks to our Kindergarten Team for organizing this fun activity. We know our youngest HES learners loved it! Please see the photo below.

We are pleased to announce that Ms. Kristin McConkey has been approved as our new Kindergarten Teacher for Ms. McLane and Ms. Sterchele’s Homeroom. Previously serving as the paraprofessional in Ms. Lance's Kindergarten Homeroom, Ms. McConkey has been a valuable member of the HES Community since 2018, working in various capacities, including as a paraprofessional in kindergarten classes and a substitute teacher.

In addition, please welcome our new staff members, Ms. Hannah Cohen and Ms. Sydney Foster, to HES. Ms. Cohen started as Susanne D'Amore's long-term substitute in Second Grade on Monday, December 18th. Ms. Foster started on Tuesday, December 19th, as the new paraprofessional in Ms. Lance's Kindergarten Homeroom.

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to our newest team members here at Hopewell Elementary School!

In addition, we are excited to announce Ms. Bonnie Brown, HES paraprofessional, as our Support Professional of the Year! Ms.Brown has been a vital part of Hopewell Elementary School since 1999. She has worked as a paraprofessional in our PEECH program for 12 years. She is more than just an assistant in their class; she handles many roles. She has decades of experience working with young children especially those with learning differences or special needs. As her colleagues have said, “Ms. Brown exemplifies professionalism, dedication, and hard work.” This makes her a true asset deserving of this recognition

HES's Winter Music Concert is quickly approaching! We look forward to showing off the students' hard work throughout their music classes at the concert which will be held at Hopewell Valley Central High School's Performing Arts Center on Thursday, January 11th, beginning at 7:00pm. Please review information about rehearsals, arrival times and attire HERE, in order to ensure your student is prepared for the concert. Attendance and performance is required for all fourth and fifth graders.

Math resources are available for parents and students. EnVision resources for parents are linked HERE and directions for implemeting the Savvas app for EnVision Mathematics is linked HERE.

As the 2023-2024 Hopewell Elementary School Yearbook continues to take shape, the yearbook committee is currently accepting submissions for the Title Page Drawing Contest. Students from grades K-5 are encouraged to incorporate the HES Honor Pledge into their designs (L-Leadership, E- Empathy, A- Acceptance, P- Perseverance) while showcasing their creativity and artistic ability. Using the space provided on the application, please sketch and illustrate your title page design. Be sure to utilize the entire space to the best of your ability. All submissions should be turned into the main office no later than Friday, January 26th for consideration. An overall winner will be selected to be featured on the title page of this year’s yearbook with special recognition awarded to runners up in each grade level. We look forward to reviewing all of the amazing entries!

It’s not too late to secure your copy! Copies of this year’s yearbook are still available for purchase online. To purchase a copy, log on to www.ybpay.com and enter our school code 15200324. After completing the required fields, payment can be made directly via the Lifetouch website. Yearbook sales will close April 24, 2024.

Library Volunteers - Calling all parents! We need your support in the HES Library. Join our team of dedicated volunteers to shelve books and organize the library. Your help ensures our students have a well-organized and inspiring reading space. Let's work together to maintain an enriched learning environment. Sign up today to be a part of our library volunteer team! Contact Mrs. White at leawhite@hvrsd.org.

If you are interested in volunteering, please view the HVRSD letter for district protocol.

Our lost and found is growing again. Please take a moment to check out the photos and encourage your little ones to join the quest for their misplaced treasures.

PTO Meeting:
The January PTO Meeting is Friday, the 12th, from 8:45am - 9:45am in the Faculty Room at HES. If you can not attend in person, please click here for a Zoom link.

Are you in the directory yet?
Did you know HES has a free, secure directory for families to find contact information to schedule playdates, send out birthday party invites or contact a parent in a pinch? Sign up for the school directory to manage the information you want to share and choose whether to receive important PTO announcements about upcoming events such as the school T-shirt giveaway and the book fair. The Membership Toolkit portal is secure, so your information will never be shared outside of our school community, and it gives you control over what you want to share. If you have any questions about the directory, reach out at hesdirectory@gmail.com.

HES PTO Fundraising:
The HES PTO is the volunteer organization behind many fun events and special things for our kids during the school year. Please view our link to the Frog Flash for more information.

• January 1st - New Year's Day (Schools/Offices Closed)
• January 3rd - Student Council Meeting - Officers ONLY (8:00am)
• January 4th - Green Team Meeting (8:00am)
• January 10th - Winter Concert In-School Performance (2:15pm)
• January 11th - Winter Concert Community Performance (7:00pm @ CHS PAC)
• January 12th - PTO Meeting (8:45am)
• January 15th - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Schools/Offices Closed)
• January 17th - Student Council Meeting - Officers & Reps (8:00am)
• January 18th - Green Team Meeting (8:00am)
• January 31st - Early Dismissal for Students; Preschool Half Day (PM ONLY); Whole School Meeting (Wear HES gray t-shirt)

• HES Dismissal Waiver Form
• HES Lunch Info
• HES School Calendar
• HES School Times
• HVRSD District Calendar

This section of our monthly correspondence is dedicated to posting our older community newsletters so that you can refer back to previous HES communication. We also recommend that you regularly visit our school's website and read HVRSD's weekly Focus to stay informed with the latest events and happenings at HES.

Previous Newsletters:

• December Edition
• November Edition
• October Edition
• September Edition